IRDye^® Infrared Dyes

IMPORTANT: IRDye 680LT dye products should not be used for small animal in vivo imaging.

IRDye Infrared Dyes and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent imaging deliver enhanced sensitivity due to low background autofluorescence in the near-infrared region and, therefore, higher signal to noise ratios. IRDye fluorescent dyes have absorption and emission wavelengths in the NIR spectrum, between 680 and 800 nm.

• Optimized for use with LI-COR^® Infrared Imaging Systems*

• Can be used with a variety of instruments that offer near-infrared excitation and emission

• Designed for antibody, protein, DNA, and peptide labeling

• Suitable for many applications, including quantitative Western blot detection, In-Cell Western™ assays, EMSAs, ELISA, Northern blots, protein arrays, fluorescence microscopy, tissue sections, and in vivo imaging
  (Applications vary depending on the IRDye. Please refer to specific dye page.)

IRDye Infrared Dyes are ideal for simultaneous, multicolor imaging applications.

• Narrow emission spectra

• No crossover between fluorophores

Table 1. IRDye Characteristics

Dye	Exmax (nm)*	Emmax (nm)*	Reactive Group		LI-COR channel
			NHS ester	Maleimide
IRDye 800CW	778	794			800 nm
IRDye 680RD	680	694			700 nm
IRDye 680LT	680	694			700 nm
IRDye 750	766	776			—
IRDye 700DX	680	687		—	700 nm
IRDye 800RS	770	786		—	800 nm
IRDye 650	651	668			—
IRDye 700 phosphoramidite	—	—	—	—	700 nm
IRDye 800 phosphoramidite	—	—	—	—	800 nm

*Data performed using methanol as the solvent.

680 and 800 nm IRDye Infrared Dyes are compatible with the Odyssey^® CLx, Odyssey Fc, Odyssey Sa, Pearl^® Imager, Pearl Impulse Imager, and 4300 DNA Analyzer platforms.

IRDye Infrared Dyes and near-infrared imaging deliver enhanced sensitivity.

Many products from the IRDye Family of infrared dyes are being used in several assays from other life science companies:

• MitoSciences^®
• R&D Systems^®
• IDT
• See the rest of LI-COR's science network

LI-COR^® Translational Research seeks to facilitate the use of IRDye^® 800CW imaging agents in clinical studies for detection of disease and its progression, and for monitoring of treatment and drug efficacy. [ Learn More ]

*IRDye 750 and IRDye 650 are not optimal for use on LI-COR imaging systems.

IRDye Features & Benefits

IRDye near-infrared dyes are optimized for excitation and detection in the near-infrared spectrum,
providing numerous benefits.

Advantages of IRDye^® near-infrared dyes:

• low background autofluorescence

• low light-scattering

• higher signal-to-noise ratios

Higher signal-to-noise ratios with near-infrared fluorescence Westerns

True multiplex Western blot detection requires high sensitivity in BOTH fluorescent channels.

• Infrared fluorescence: Detect endogenous protein levels in both channels

• Visible fluorescence: Insufficient sensitivity in one channel

Western Blot Analysis of ERK Activation

ERK1/2 and phospho-ERK were detected in lysates of unstimulated or EGF-stimulated A431 cells. Two-fold serial dilutions of lysate were loaded. Replicate blots were detected using ERK1/2 or phospho-ERK primary antibodies and secondary antibodies labeled with infrared or visible fluorescent dyes.

Low Autofluorescence Enhances Tumor-to-Background Ratio

When autofluorescent background is low:

• Tumors are more easily detected

• Tumor-to-background ratio is increased

IRDye^® 800CW optical probes provide excellent performance for in vivo imaging.

Comparison of IRDye 800CW and Cy 5.5 EGF probes¹

Mice with MDA-MB-468 tumors were injected with 1 nmol of IRDye 800CW - EGF or Cy 5.5 - EGF optical probe. Animals were imaged 24 h after injection.

• A) IRDye 800CW - EGF probe
  Tumor is easily visualized (red circle)

• B) Cy 5.5 - EGF probe
  Tumor is difficult to detect

The IRDye 800CW EGF imaging probe yielded a 5.8-fold improvement in tumor-to-background ratio,
compared to Cy 5.5¹

1. Adams et al. J Biomedical Optics, 12(2), 024017 (2007)

Applications

IMPORTANT: IRDye 680LT dye products should not be used for small animal in vivo imaging.

• Western blots

• In-Cell Western™ assay

• EMSA (electrophoretic mobility shift assay)

• Microscopy

• In vivo molecular imaging